The present invention generally relates to target tracking systems. More specifically, the present invention relates to systems and methods for improved target tracking for tactical imaging.
Throughout the world, military and homeland security forces face an increasing need to provide safety and security to troops and high value assets. Remote sensor systems are ideal for surveillance and monitoring of high-value assets, such as troop encampments, airfields, base installations, supply routes, and depots. In larger networks, remote sensor systems are used to monitor and protect national borders, regional boundaries, and assets in homeland defense and peacekeeping operations.
Remote sensor systems typically include a network of easily deployed, remotely located sensors that detect the movement of personnel and vehicles. These sensors are typically remote, battery-operated devices that provide commanders with critical surveillance data on a 24-hour basis.
Existing remote sensor systems include several disadvantages. For example, existing remote sensor systems typically flood the network with raw data to be later interpreted at a control station. Additionally, these systems generate a large number of false alarms due to uneventful detections, such as animal movement near the sensors. As another example, existing remote sensor systems are typically designed for a specific application, yet lack sufficient battery life to last the entire mission.
Unmanned imagers must automatically detect targets and capture images of these targets. Target detection is normally determined by observing motion within a field of view of the imager. Loose determination of motion results in images of blowing grass, trees, bushes, dust clouds and similar “false alarms.” A tighter definition of motion results in missed targets or a reduced range of the imager. That is, the imager must be emplaced closer to a target area so that small targets appear bigger and, therefore, are easier to track. Thus an imager that can easily track and capture an image of a vehicle at 400 m may have to be deployed at 200 m to capture an image of a person without causing an unacceptable number of false alarms, for example.
Typically, in unmanned imaging systems, power is at a premium, and the imagers are turned off until other sensors detect the presence of a target. Sensors are used to turn on the imager. The imager obtains one or more images or video. Imager output may be combined with acoustic or other sensor output. The imager is used to confirm target presence and provide details on the target that other sensors cannot.
Some systems fuse data from imagers and other sensors to determine more details about the target or to confirm that there is in fact a target. This occurs after the image is captured. Some imaging systems have algorithms to detect and reject motion that occurs in only one place on the image, e.g. a bush blowing on an edge of a frame. However, this does not improve a probability of capturing a small target at range. Additionally, this does not provide an adaptive method for capturing small target images.
Thus, there is a need for systems and methods that take input of sensors that detect a presence of a target and feed that information to an imager to allow the imager to adapt its target tracking and recognition algorithms on a target by target basis. There is a need for systems and methods for improved target tracking for tactical imaging.